Spring and Nature

My little boy has grown so full of life lately. He has always been so full of energy but recently he has also grown full of emotions, and interests that he has never seemed to have. When we are not trying to work through some of his tough emotions, we are trying to answer the important questions of what to have for lunch (which can be quite complicated due to emotions), and what kind of bug or bird or plant we see in the yard. Last week I was weeding, and he was doing his thing, and whenever I found a large bug I would give it to him and have him run it back to the chickens. We found quite a few moth pupae and some beetles and then a caterpillar. I was pretty sure it was a moth caterpillar as it was pretty dull looking but he wanted to keep it instead of giving it to the chickens. 

After a while it was decided that it needed to go in a jar and get some leaves. So that is what we did. That poor thing probably didn't know what hit it as it was carted all around the house, and shook up quite a bit I assume. Here it is at the table during lunch. Oh and do you see those tulips? He kindly asked the neighbor if he could have some of her tulips for smelling. She was so sweet and gave him the ones of his choice. Boy did I learn that he was serious about the smelling thing. He wouldn't give them to me. I eventually got them into the jar of water and tried to keep them at the table. When I was busy they would disappear and then I would find them in the silliest places, like on the floor of his bedroom in a ray of sunshine. I am loving his new interest in flowers and plants. It gives me hope that I will raise up children that love the garden. This picture is also cracking me up as you can see that it was photo bombed by our dog.

Oh sweet moth caterpillar you are so exciting. Will you climb up on that twig and spin a cocoon?

I wanted to show you what our spring nature table (and nature branch) look like these days. Spring is so much fun with all the new life all around us. We have been making some modeling wax flowers. My kids did great making their own. Can you see them up there on that branch? Mine is the yellow one and the red one is my little boy's.

I buy a lot of wooden bowls a plates at the thrift store. We put beeswax polish on them and they are good as new. I am also trying my hand at making peg dolls. Do you see that little yellow one there? I make them and the kids love them. I even caught them sneaking this one outside to play with the other day. I didn't mind as they brought it back in. Its my version of a dandelion. Oh, and one last thing, I am so glad I have tons of those little purple flowers. The kids seem to be needing flowers to pick this time of year and they are so pretty on the Nature Table.